Leg splint



C. l. ALLEN LEG SPLINT Sept. 27, 1932.

Filed April 24, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 (2645 Z flue/W INVENTOR.

4Z1: ATTORNEY;

C. I. ALLEN Sept. 27, 1932.

LEG SPLINT 3 sheets sheet 3 Filed April 24. 1950 my ll INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Sept. 27, 1932 CHARLES: I. Amt, or wennseorio, noarn cAaoLinALEG, SPLINT.

Application filed April 24,

This invention relatesto an improved leg splint to be used in thetreatment tures of the leg and thigh.

It is an object of my invention to provide 5 a splint for usein treatingfractures of the; leg and thigh'ot a human, in which means are providedfor holding the leg in such a position as to cause a proper heal ng ofthe fracture, and to provide means .for applylng traction to the leg. tocause the fracture to heal properly and to hold the fracturedparts inproper position during the healing operation.

leg in proper positiomiand topresent a minimum of resistance'to thetraction which 1s applied tothe leg duringthe treatment ofthe' same."and means are also provided 'forinr cheating the amount of tractionwhich is 2110-? plied to the leg, together with-means for-hold 1 properposition i during the ing the foot in treatment.

Another object of my invention is to plrovide a leg splint having meansfor applying traction to the side portion of the leg where,

iths-fracture appears above the knee and for permitting adjustment ofthe lower leg porti on below the, knee to allow it to be suspended atvarious angles as desired- 7 Another object of my invention is to proanydesired adjiustedposition.

Some of the, objects of my invention having been stated other objectswill appear asthe description proceeds, when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which- 1 i V Figure 1 is a side elevationof my'd'evice showin a leg held in position therein Figure 2 is aplanview of Figure 1 showing only a. portion of the leg in position;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the lower end of a modified form of mysplint;-

Figure is an enlarged detail view taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an end view of Figural taken along the line 5- 5 in Figure1; l

of frac- 'ad'iust theil'ower portion-of the'leg;

vide a leg splint for-supporting afracture in 15 ings the numeral .10,indicates a humans bone, andto cause-the ends of the bone. to fit 1930;Serial No. 446,910.

Figure6 is an elevation of the foot rest taken along the line 66 inFigure 1';

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along'the line 7-7 in Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a gross-sectional view taken; alongtheline 8 8 in Figure 1;1 Figure S-isian enlargedip'lan View of thespreader meanst'or holdingthe tape for traction purposes; V

Figure 1Q is a cross-sectional view taken along-the line 1010 in Figure9;

Figure 11 is a perspectiveview of the means i p a for connecting theside bars to the ring mem- Another object of my invention is. to pro 1 l15 vide an improved leg splint for the treatment of fractures, in whichmeans are providedl for suspending the leg and for 'holdlng the securedintermediate the side members ,to'

Figure'15'is anothermodified form otmy P invention in which notractionis appliedbut the device is used to support a leg and act in the form ofa-brace;

Figure 16 is a View similar toFigure'15' but showing'rnea'ns t'orsuspending the leg in adjusted position; j

Figure 17 shows an adjustable support adapted to be used in connectionwith Figure Figure-1'8 is a plan view of a supporting member adapted tobe used in lieu'of cuffs 36- and webbing 4:37; i v

Figure 19 isa side elevation of Figure 18.

"Referring moref specificallyto the drawthigh with the lower portion ofthe leg being designated by the reference character 11, and the footbeing designated by the reference character 12. It is a well known factthat when a fracture occurs in a leg that the muscles of the leg pullthe two ends of the bone-into-an over lapping'position and it is thepurpose of this invention to prevent this I over-lapping position ofthewends of the is P p ctive view of one of' ing while in position onthe patient as these a projection 24. The projection24'has pivotparts 16and 17 fit against the bed on which the patient is reclining. On theother side of the ring member-13 I provide projections 18 and 19 whichlikewise have holes interiorly threaded therein which are adapted toreceive the threaded rods 16 and 17 when the device is used on the rightleg, as it is shown in position on the left leg inthe drawings. Thisring member13 has'a downwardly curved portion 20 whichisadapted to causea better fitting of the ringmember around the upper leg portion of. thepatient as this indentation 2O prevents undue pressure from beingapplied to the pubic bone of the patient.

This member 13 is covered with rubber or any other suitable materialsuch as 21, and,

if desired a thin covering 22such asfa sanitary tape or other means canbe placed on the outside of the portion 21.

Projecting rigidly from the portion 20 of ring 13 is the portion 23 andalso projecting from the other side of the ring member is the allymounted therein the member 25 which members 23 and 25 have threadablysecured A therein the bolt 26. Hollow bar members 27 for patients havingdi'fierent lengths of legs,

and 28 are'adapted' to 'slidably fit over the members 23 and25, said barmembers having' the slot 29 therein which isyadapted to slide past thescrew 26, and when screw 26 is tightened it will rigidly hold thebarmembers 27 and 28 to the respectiveportions 23 and 25; This arrangementis'provided in order for bars of difierent length'to be used as it isevident that each individual patient will require a certainspecifiedlength ot'bars such as 27 and The bars 27 and 28 have the otherends thereof sold and holes are provided in the solid ends into whichthe screws 32 and 33 aresecured, said screws penetratingholes 34 and 34in a member'35, said member 35 being adapted to hold in adjustedposition the free endsof the .bars 27 and 28. It is seen that the widthof thesebar's 27 and 28 Y is adjusted bymeans of the member 35 and" thescrews 32 and 33.

Slidably mounted on the bars 27 and 28 are a plurality ofcufl members36, said cufl? members being moreplainl-y shown Figure 12. These-cuffmembers 36 have theupwardlypi'ojecting portion 37 in which theslots 38and 39 appear, and these cuff members. are adapted to encircle the bars27 and'28 and to slide there along. fOn the outerside' of the members 36are the projections .40 and 41, in which the buckle member 42 ispivotally mounted, said buckle member 42 being adapted to hold inadjusted position the webbing or tape member 43. This webbing or tapemember 43 is adapted to be held by the buckle members 42 to suspend theleg of the patient in the splint. I have indicated by the referencecharacter 43 in Figure 1 the use of the webbing or tape merely tosupport the leg of the' patienu'and in the central portion of Fig ure 1,which is shown more fully in Figure 7 I provide the webbing 45, which issecured in the buckle ononeofthe cuffs and runs ben'eath the leg andinto the slot 39 and back through the slot 38, and again beneath the legand then around the topof the leg andback into the buckle portion whichpermits side pull to be applied to the leg.. 'This allows lateral,pressure to be applied to the leg to hold the same in proper position aswherethe leg would have a tendency to heal in a crooked condition. Thisarrangement can be used on any of the buckles but I have shownit appliedto only one of them.

It is evident-that these cuffs and web supports are adapted toslidealong the bar mem-- bers and odor a minimum of resistance to thetraction applied to theleg. This traction is applied by providing a setof cuffs and 51 on the bars27 and 28. These ends 50 and 51 havevertically disposed grooves therein into which thefoot boardmeniber 52is adapted to be placed, and thisfoot board member has a plurality ofslots 53 through which a belt or webor tape 54 is passed and securedaround by means of the buckle 55. f

slots and 61 therein through whichethe' tape portions-62 and 63 areadapted to pass, said tape. portions 62 and 63 being adapted to beapplied to the side of the leg to exert a traction on the leg to hold itunder proper tension while the healing operation is being completed.:These tapes 62 and 63 are applied in connection with the wrappings orbandages 64 whichare a conventional method of treatment in fractures,but I provide the tapes 62 and 63 andpass them out through the holes 60and 61 and secure them in the buckles .65 and 66, which are in the endsof the member 67, this member 67 being a spreader mem- V ber and beingadapted to prevent any pres sure from being made on the ankle bone bythe tape members furnishing means of obtaining the ,tract-ionon the leg.Near the central portion of thismember 67 is an eye 68 into which a hook69 is adapted to be secured,

and inone form of'the invention I show a scale or registering device 70secured to this hook with ahook 71 secured to the other end of thisregistering device 70 which passes the upper portion of the foot of thepatient through the central portion of member 36 and has a nut 72securedthereon-by means of which a certain given traction can be applied to theleg of the patient.

This registering device is shown more fully in Figure 13, in which thecasing 70 has the movable casing 74: therein, in which the eye member 75is secured which is secured to the link 69. A tension spring 76 issecured on the inside of this cylinder 74 and the other end of thistension spring is secured as at 77 to the plug member 78 which closes upthe end of the cylinder 70 and has the'eye member 79 secured therein towhich the member 71 is secured. In a modified form of this invention asshown in Figure 3, I may dispense with the registering device, butprovide instead thereof the cord 80 which is adapted to be secured tothe spreader member 67 which cord 80 passes around a pulley 81 and has aplurality of weights 82 adapted to be placed on the lower end of saidcord 80 to apply the proper traction to the leg of the patient. It isevident that when the free ends of the bars 27 and 28 are adjusted apartfrom each other to a wider degree than that shown in Figure 2, that foreach adjustment a separate foot board will have to be used as the footboard must be of proper width to fit the adjustment of the bars 27 and28.

There is some play between the foot board and the cuif members 50 and 51which it is carried, so as to allow a slight movement of the foot andfoot cult members.

The metal cufls which have previously been described for holding webbingfor sup porting the leg in any position are adjustable to any positionon the bars and can be used on either bar by reversing them as toposition.

The purpose of the foot piece or footboard which has previously beendescribed is to 7 hold the foot in an erect position and to prevent whatis called'foot drop.

It is thus seen that I'have devised a splint which may be used foreither leg and is adjustable to any size and length of leg by usingvarious size rings and lateral bars of various lengths. It is seen thatit is so ar ranged that the splint can not turn to the right or left andthat the bars 16 can be removed when it is desired for the patient touse the bed pan, and also that the splint-prevents the leg from beingturned to the right or to the left. It is also seen that the foot isheld in upright position and can not turn to the right or left thuskeeping the leg and foot in their proper position with relation to thebody at all times. It is also seen that the arrangement is such that theunder-surface of the ring is held up against the pubic bone which is themost suited part to bear the tracand slots an arrangement has beendevised to hold the webbing which supports the leg be tween the barswhich permits an easy adj ust board with relation to thebe applied, and:thezwebbingand the metal cuffs do-not ofiermuch. resistance to; the tracf tive force. It is seen that by using metal euiiswfi'tlr a slotarrangement which carries offers no resistance to the tractive forcethat an advancement has'been made. 1

Furthermore it is seen that by having I buckles on theadhesive spreaderasimpl'eand' eflicient means has been devised to hold the adhesive topermit easy adjustments and to prevent the adhesive from pressing on theankle. the tractive pull may bemadeby acord and weight or by'aspringjscale as desired, asiitiis Thesplint is also arranged; so thatevident that either form of tractive pull; may

be employed to suitparticular conditions;

Inthe modified form of my invention as shown in Figures 14: to 17,inclusiveI provide the structure as shown in theprevious-figures in-Figure 14 and in addition thereto where the traction is desired to beapplied to the up-- per portion of the leg or the sideportion, I havethe same arrangement as shown. inthe preceding figures, but in additionthereto I provide the cuff members on each sideof the knee portion whichare secured to the bars 27 and 28 by means of a thumbnut and screw101andon the lower side of these cufis .100. are adjustably secured by --meansof thumbnutand bolt 102-the side bars 1-12 which have the conventionalcuffs 3.6 thereon for supporting the lower portion of the leg and theconventional. foot board as previous-ly described and I provide the cord103 for suspending the 'lower'portion of the leg so that it can beadjusted vertically and still traction can be applied to-the sideportion. of theleg. The other parts in Figure 14 not described areidentical. to the parts hereto fore described. a In Figure 151 show amodified form of my invention in which I have the conventional ringmember 13 and associated parts but the side. bars are shorter than inthe previous forms of my invention as shown, said side. 7 bars beingdesignated bythe referencechar acter 115, and these side bars have theconventional Guile and supportingmeans as pre viously described, and,have the. conventional baracross the free endthereof for supporting thefree end of said bars 115. Near ion irs

the knee portion I provide the structure I which has'previously beendescribed and as shown in Figure 14, but the lower end ofthis Vattachment is adapted to rest on the bed and a brace member comprisingthe. U-shaped part 105 which is tubular and the hooked" I rods 106and107 are adapted to be adjustably securedtherein by means of the screws108 for supporting the knee portion ofthe device at any desired heightabove the .bed as shown in Figure 15. 5 In Figure 16 I show theidentical structure as shown in Figure 15, with the exception that Idispense with the support 105 and associated parts and provide the cords110 and 111 by means of which the position of the'leg of the patient canbe adjusted by'regulating the cords 110 andlll.

In Figures 18 and 19 I show a modified form of the supports for the legwhich consist of the member 120 which has the downwarclly projectingportions 121 and 122 at one end thereof and the projections 128 and 124:at the other end thereof which projections are adapted to'fit over theside bars 27 and 28. It might also be stated in this application 20 thatI have devised a leg splint having bars rectangular in cross-sectionforheretofore all splints of this nature have been round or of thesimilar nature and by providing the side members rectangular incross-section I prevent any turning movement of the supporting means forthe leg. r a

In the drawings and specifications I have set forth a preferredembodiment of'my invention, and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not forpurposes of limitation,the scope of the invention being set forth in theappended claim.

I claim:

.3 i A leg splint having a limb encircling ring and track memberssecured to said ring to 00-- cupy positions on opposite sides'of theleg, a l. plurality of slidable web holding cufismounted on said trackmembers, means'for prevent-o 40. ing turningmovement of said cuffs onsaid ftrack members, each of said cufis having a buckle therein'and alsohaving anupw'ardly projecting portion integral therewith,v said upwardlyprojecting portions having two V 5 spaced horizontally disposed slotstherein whereby a piece of webbing can be secured in the buckle on onecuff and extend beneath the leg then out through the lower slot in theother cuff on the other side of the leg, then 50, back throughthe topslot-in said other cuff,

then again beneath the leg and over the top of the leg and then overthetop of said proj ection in said other cuff and through the buckle insaid other cuff to apply lateral traction to the leg. f I In testimonywhereof I aflix my signature.

' CHARLES I. ALLEN.

